What is Sleet?

Sleet is a form of precipitation in which small ice pellets are the primary components. These ice pellets
are smaller and more translucent than hailstones, and harder than graupel. Sleet is caused by specific
atmospheric conditions and therefore typically doesn't last for extended periods of time.

The condition which leads to sleet formation requires a warmer body of air to be wedged in between two sub-freezing
bodies of air. When snow falls through a warmer layer of air it melts, and as it falls through the next
sub-freezing body of air it freezes again, forming ice pellets known as sleet. In some cases, water
droplets don't have time to freeze before reaching the surface and the result is freezing rain.